Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs delivers a pitch against the Texas Rangers in the first inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Drew Smyly delivers a pitch against the Angels in the first inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

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The Angels’ Mike Trout swings to connect for a grand slam against the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

The Angels’ Mike Trout rounds first base after hitting a grand slam home run in the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

The Angels’ Mike Trout watches his grand slam home run sail over the left field wall against the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

The Angels’ Mike Trout takes off to round the bases after hitting a grand slam home run against the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

The Angels’ Mike Trout, left, rounds third after hitting a grand slam home run in the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons, left, turns a double play as Texas Rangers’ Hunter Pence is out at second in the fourth inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

The Angels’ Albert Pujols loses his bat as he strikes out swinging in the first inning against the Texas Rangers in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Adrian Sampson, center, is taken out of the game by manager Chris Woodward, left, in the eighth inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

The Angels relief pitcher Justin Anderson, right, hugs catcher Kevan Smith after striking out the side in the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

Angels relief pitcher Justin Anderson delivers a pitch against the Texas Rangers in the ninth inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

The Angels’ Albert Pujols acknowledges the fans as he return to the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

The Angels’ Albert Pujols crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

The Angels’ Albert Pujols begins his trip around the bases after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

The Angels’ Albert Pujols rounds second base after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor, right, tags the AngelsÕ Brian Goodwin out at second on a pick off play in the seventh inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor, left, jumps over the AngelsÕ Brian Goodwin after tagging Goodwin out on a pick off play in the seventh inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor catches a pop fly against the Angels in the second inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

The Angels’ Albert Pujols loses his bat as he strikes out swinging in the first inning against the Texas Rangers in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons, left, turns a double play as Texas Rangers’ Hunter Pence is out at second in the fourth inning in Anaheim on Saturday, April 6, 2019. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

ANAHEIM — There will be days, like Saturday, when Mike Trout catches three ceremonial first pitches, plays flawless defense in center field, draws an intentional walk and is hit by a pitch, and makes the richest contract in baseball history look like a bargain.

There will also be days, like Saturday, when the Angels couldn’t score if they were provided a police escort around the basepaths. They loaded the bases in the first inning against the Texas Rangers, and had two runners on in the second and third, each time failing to score.

In the fourth inning, the Angels loaded the bases against left-hander Drew Smyly again. This time Trout strode to the plate with one out and did the very thing that makes him the face of a franchise, if not the face of baseball. His 458-foot home run cleared both bullpens, cleared the bases, and cleared the Angels’ conscience after three innings of near-misses.

The grand slam was Trout’s fourth home run in his last three games. It made the difference in a 5-1 win over the Rangers before an announced crowd of 31,747 at Angel Stadium.

“We had a lot of good opportunities, just couldn’t drive ‘em in,” Trout said. “I got a good pitch to hit and hit it out.”

Trout has a chance to hit a home run in a fourth consecutive game Sunday, something he’s done only once in his eight-year career.

Albert Pujols hit a solo homer in the seventh inning against Rangers pitcher Adrian Sampson. It marked the 3,089th hit of Pujols’ career, tying Ichiro Suzuki for 23rd on the all-time leaderboard. The home run nearly landed in the Angels’ bullpen, but Noe Ramirez caught the ball in his hat before it could reach the earth.

The two home runs accounted for all five runs as the Angels (3-6) beat a left-handed starting pitcher for the first time in 2019. It was more than enough run support for their own southpaw starter, Tyler Skaggs.

Skaggs allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings, working around five hits and a walk. Texas went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

“After the first inning I was throwing the ball well,” Skaggs said. “Velocity came back. I started using my legs a little more. Curveball was a huge key to the game today. I thought I threw it well.”

Skaggs (1-0) didn’t record a strikeout until the third inning, but he finished with five – four on curveballs. He had not won a game since July 25 of last year.

“I thought he did an outstanding job,” Ausmus said. “Mixed his pitches, mixed his location. He kind of stayed the course, a very even keel the whole time.”

The Angels’ bullpen closed out the win with minimal effort. Luis Garcia retired the final two batters in the seventh inning in relief of Skaggs. Hansel Robles struck out the side in the eighth inning. Luke Bard pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning in a non-save situation.

David Fletcher started at third base and batted leadoff for the first time this season. He finished 3 for 5 and reached base four times ahead of Trout.

Zack Cozart had led off and played third base in the Angels’ first two games against a left-handed starting pitcher – Brett Anderson in Oakland and Marco Gonzales in Seattle. Cozart, mired in a 1 for 26 slump to begin the new season, was on the bench Saturday.

With Cozart slumping, and sluggers Justin Upton and Shohei Ohtani on the injured list, the Angels are desperate for steady bats around Trout. Fletcher could conceivably get a longer run at the top of the lineup.

“He’s kind of the underdog I think for a lot of people,” Ausmus said of Fletcher, “but he always seems to go out there and perform well. You can stick him anywhere – at the top or toward the bottom of the lineup – and he’s going to battle regardless of where he is. He’s one of those guys that everyone pulls for.”

In a small sample, Fletcher has taken his elite contact skill to a new level. He saw 20 pitches Saturday and didn’t whiff on any of them. Of the first 100 pitches Fletcher has seen in 2019, he’s only swung and missed once. That rate leads all hitters who have seen a minimum of 50 pitches this season.

That degree of contact skill “gives you some options in terms of hit-and-run, or running through two,” Ausmus said. “We’ve got a couple guys; Simba (Andrelton Simmons) is similar. He’s a good bat-to-ball guy. That can work in your favor. It can also work against you if you’re making contact with balls outside the zone too frequently. So far it’s been good for Fletch.”

Goodwin, Andrelton Simmons, Kevan Smith, Tommy La Stella and Peter Bourjos had one hit apiece. Bourjos’ single in the fourth inning was his first hit of the season.

The Angels can clinch their first series win of the season Sunday against the Rangers.

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